AMV BBDO launches AMVxOpen to help brands become more disability-inclusive

Abbott Mead Vickers has partnered with Open Inclusion to launch AMVxOpen, which will help brands identify how their offering could be more inclusive for people with disabilities. The partnership will offer consultancy, market sizing and inclusive innovation.

Open Inclusion works in providing inclusive consumer insight, strategy and product innovation. Its network has access to more than 275,000 people with disabilities. AMVxOpen is working with clients on live briefs for inclusive design.

Sarah Hore-Lacy, head of AMVxOpen at AMV, said: “By combining Open Inclusion's expertise with AMV’s knowledge of our client’s business and brand goals, we are better equipped to understand and serve these communities. This is not only the right thing to do, but better for business too.”

Its first client, Unilever’s deodorant brand Rexona, called Sure in the UK, worked with AMVxOpen on the brand’s Degree Metathon, a marathon that took place in the metaverse.

Based in Decentraland’s virtual world, the idea was reviewed by the partnership’s panel and played by participants with a variety of needs on the event day, who then gave feedback.

Christine Hemphill, managing director at Open Inclusion, said: “[This partnership] will inform a new generation of products, services and experiences that will improve the equity of commercial solutions while providing great value to organisations that embrace the power of a better design approach that is more broadly informed.”

Sam Hawkey, chief executive at AMV BBDO, added: “We fundamentally believe open, collaborative, distributed systems are key to mutual value and growth."